G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
3 March  2020 
(20-1621) Page: 1/12 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
WTO SPS TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE ACTIVITI ES IN 20 20: 
GENERAL INFORMATION,  SELECTION PROCESS A ND APPLICATION FORM  
NOTE BY THE SECRETAR IAT1 
Revision  
1.  The Secretariat of the WTO plans to organize a number of  specific technical assistance activities 
on the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS  Agreement) in 
2020. These activities include: the SPS E-Learning course, national SPS seminars, a thematic 
SPS workshop in Geneva, reg ional SPS workshops2 and an advanced SPS course.3 These activities 
will primarily focus on the provisions of the SPS Agreement, implementation matters  and the latest 
discussions taking place in the SPS Committee.4 The overall objective of the SPS technical  assistance 
activities is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of government officials from WTO developing 
country Members and Observers, so they can better understand and implement the SPS Agreement, 
benefit from its provisions, and strengthen their cap acity to engage in the work of the 
SPS Committee . For additional information on technical assistance activities related to the 
SPS Agreement, please consult the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta . 
2.  This docume nt provides detailed information about SPS -specific WTO technical assistance 
activit ies planned for 20 20, including information on dates, venues, eligibility and selection criteria 
of participants, instructions for submission of applications, deadlines and  pre-requisites when 
required.  
3.  This document is structured according to the different types of SPS -specific technical assistance 
activities provided by the WTO:  
• E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement  
• National SPS Seminars  
• Thematic SPS Workshop  
• Regional SPS  Workshops  
• Other SPS Workshops  
• Advanced SPS Course , including  the Follow -up Session  
4.  A chronological table with the dates and steps for application for all the SPS -specific technic al 
assistance activities in 20 20 can be found in Annex I . 
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice to 
the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 Regional SPS Workshops will be organized in 20 20 upon request from regional organizations . Please 
refer to additional details in Section 4 of this document.  
3 In addition to these SPS -specific technical assistance activities, the WTO offers general training courses 
where the SPS Agreement is taught, such as Introduction Courses fo r Least -Developed Countries, Regional Trade 
Policy Courses and Advanced Trade Policy Courses.  
4 The SPS Committee is scheduled to meet three times in 20 20: 18-19 March; 24-25 June; and 
4-5 Novem ber. Informal meetings of the SPS Committee and other SPS -related workshops might be scheduled 
during the weeks when the SPS Committee meetings take place. These dates are subject to change.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  5.  The structure, content, target audience, pre -requisites, exercises and materials of these SPS -
specific activities will follow the WTO Progr essive Learning Strategy (PLS).5 Therefore, each activity 
is identified according to a scal e ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory activities) 
to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in -depth training activities). This measurement will, inter alia , 
assist in making candidates aware of the expected level of the activity before they ap ply, and 
facilitate the Secretariat's assessment of whether a candidate's profile and experience match the 
level of the activity when carrying out the selection process. This will ultimately help ensure that the 
participants in a particular activity are ab le to most effectively follow and contribute to the 
discussions, and that they have a harmonized level of understandin g of the SPS Agreement. 
Further  information on the WTO PLS and a table with the level of each of the SPS -specific technical 
assistance act ivities can be found in Annex II.  
1  E-LEARNING COURSE ON  THE SPS AGREEMENT  
Level of this activity : 1    3 
6.  The WTO offers an E -Learning Course on the SPS Agreement  (SPS E -Learning Course) , so as to 
enable government officials from around the world to learn, through an interactive tool, about the 
basic provisions and principles of the SPS Agreement, the work of the SPS Committee and the SPS 
disputes brought to the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism. During the entire course, participants 
receive personal tutoring from an assigned staff member of the WTO Se cretariat who is responsible 
for clarifying and responding to any SPS -related question. While a brief introduction to the 
SPS Agreement is included in the E -Learning course "Introduction to the WTO", this online course 
on the SPS Agreement is the most intr oductory -level training av ailable specifically on the 
SPS Agreement.  
7.  The course is available in all three WTO working languages (English, French and Spanish) and is 
divided into nine modules which must be completed within t wo months. At the end of the course , 
participants are required to complete a final test. The completion of th is final  test (with a minimum 
grade of 60%) is required for the successful completion of the course.  
8.  Successful completion of the SPS E-Learning Course is a pre -requisite for p articipation in other 
SPS technical assistance activities, such as the Advanced SPS Course. However, successful 
completion of the SPS E-Learning Course does not guarantee  selection for SPS -related training 
events. Government officials who have already succ essfully completed the SPS E-Learning Course, 
in any of the available languages, are not required to undertake it again.  
9.  The WTO  E-Learning Platform (https://wtolearning.csod.com ) offers the SPS E-Learning Cours e 
throughout the year.  
10.  While the WTO E -Learning material  can be freely accessed in  the WTO E -Learning Platform by 
the public once registered, eligible  participants can participate in a  monitored course, access the 
module  exams , obtain a WTO certificate  and take part in the interactive activities . 
11.  Government officials from developing WTO Members and Observers wishing to register for the 
SPS E-Learning Course must access the WTO E -Learning Platform  (https://wtolearning.csod.com ). 
In order to register for a course, two forms are to be filled -in and submitted:  
a. Online Registration Form:  available at https://wtolearning.csod.com . This registration  
form needs to be completed online;  
b. Nomination Form:  the candidate should be confirmed by the responsible government 
authorities. The Nomination Form is available  in the Platform  
(https://wtolearning.csod.com ) once a participant has registered in the section "My 
Nomination Form" under "My Courses". The completed Nomination Form must be uploaded 
in the Platform ( https://wtolearning.csod.com ) in the same section.  
 
5 The primary aim of the PLS is to promote higher levels of learning and to encourage the development 
of participants ' autonomy , with a view to building and sustaining the long -lasting human and institutional capacity 
of beneficiary countries to participate most effectively in the rules -based multilateral training system.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  12.  For further information and instructions about the registration process for the SPS E-Learning 
Course , the WTO E -Learning team  can be contacted at  elearning@wto.org . 
2  NATIONAL SPS SEMINAR S 
Level of this activity : 1    3 
13.  WTO developing country Members and Observers are entitled to request national seminars with 
a view to address specific training needs on the SPS Agreement and its implementation. In  this 
regard, the p rogrammes for national seminars are elaborated by the beneficiary country in  
consultation with the WTO Secretariat. It is possible to address both the SPS and TBT Agreements, 
or the SPS Agreement and the Agreement on Agriculture  or the Trade Facilitation A greement , in a 
single national seminar.  
14.  National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introductory) or higher (in -depth, advance 
training) level, depending on the training needs identified by the requesting Member, and the level 
of knowledge and experience of the participants. It is also possible to organize two national activities 
back-to-back for different participants, for example, one at an introductory level and another at an 
advanced level. The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content o f these seminars 
according to each specific request and through consultations with the beneficiary Member during the 
preparation phase of the seminar.  In addition, the Secretariat encourage s Members to clearly outline 
the objectives of national seminars  in the submitted training requests, in order to allow the 
Secretariat to respond more effectively to the training needs of Members.  
15.  To request a national seminar on the SPS Agreement, Members and  Observers must complete 
and submit a  Technical Assistance Nati onal Request through the Technical Assistance Management 
System , which is available through the weblink  https://tamis.wto.org/user/login .6  
16.  The Technical Assistance National Request must be submitted along with an official letter  of 
request , addressed to the Director of the Institute for Training and Technical Co -operation (ITTC). 
The request and the official letter should be submitted online  via the weblink  
https://tamis.wto.org/user/login . 
17.  Due to the increased number of requests received for national SPS seminars in recent years, 
the Secretariat encourages Members and Observers to submit any reques t for national SPS seminars 
as early as possible (preferably in the first half of the year) to ensure proper coordination and 
preparation for these activities.7 
3  THEMATIC SPS WORKSHO P 
Level of this activity: 1    3  
18.  The Secretariat will organize a special Thematic SPS Workshop , to be held in Geneva, 
Switzerland.  The workshop will focus on risk assessment, risk management and risk communication . 
The workshop will take place on Monday, 22 June and Tuesday, 23 June 2020, immediately prior to 
the SPS informal and regular meetings to be held during the same week . 
19.  The objective of the workshop is to bring together officials responsible for participation in and 
implementation of the SPS Agreement, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the 
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and the World Or ganisation for Animal Health (OIE) 
for an in depth discussion, on risk assessment, risk management and risk communication .  
20.  The workshop also will be  open to participation by all delegates from WTO Members and 
Observers attending the SPS Committee meeting in June 2020. 
21.  The WTO, with the financial assistance of the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund 
(DDAGTF), will sponsor the participation of government officials from developing country Members 
 
6 The system is available in the three WTO working language s, English, French and Spanish. Login 
usernames and passwords are the same as f or the WTO website.   
7 While every effort will be made to accommodate the requests of Members and Observers, the Secretariat 
cannot guarantee that it will have the necessary resources to undertake  all national seminars requested during 
the year.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  and Observers. The Secretariat will select participants to be sponsored  from applications received 
from capital -based officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area.  
22.  Preference will be given to applications from least -developed countries (LDCs), and from 
developing country Members and Observers that have not been sponsored to participate in a 
thematic workshop on the SP S Agreement in the recent past.  No more than one participant from 
each country will be selected.  
23.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers meeting the above -mentioned criteria 
and wishing t o apply for the thematic workshop must consult the instructions provided in Annex III,  
and complete and submit the online application form available at: 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2020 -wto-sps-technical -assistance -application -
form/ . 
24.  An economy -class round -trip air -ticket (excursion fare, if applicable),  accommodation,  daily 
subsistence allowance and terminal expenses will be  provided to the selected participants.  
Other  administrative arrangements shall be communicated directly to the selected participants in 
advance of the workshop.  
4  REGIONAL SPS WORKSHO PS 
Level of this activity: 1    3 
4.1  Overview  
25.  The WTO Secretariat organizes regional w orkshops on the SPS Agreement with the purpose of 
making participants fully aware of the WTO SPS Agreement, its implementation, and the possible 
implications at the regional and national levels.  Funding is available through the Doha Development 
Agenda Glob al Trust Fund (DDAGTF)  for these workshops . 
26.  Regional workshops also serve as an opportunity for government officials working on SPS 
matters in different developing countries to establish contact with their counterparts in other 
developing countries of the region, facilitating the exchange of information and the sharing of best 
practices related to the implementation of the SPS Agreement.  
27.  These regional workshops may include r epresentatives from Codex, IPPC and OIE as resource 
persons contributing their know ledge and experience in their areas of expertise. In addition, relevant 
international organizations, international and regional development institutions and organizations, 
as well as other technical assistance organizations and bilateral donors involved in  SPS matters, may 
be invited to inform participants of their latest activities.  
4.2  Regional SPS Workshops in 20 20 
28.  In order to deliver more effective and tailored regional workshops, t he WTO Secretariat will be 
working collaboratively with regional organizatio ns to specifically address SPS-related  training needs 
identified within regions. Using this approach, the WTO Secretariat will schedule  regional SPS 
workshops in 2020 upon request from regional organizations.8 
29.  To request a regional workshop on the SPS Agreement, regional organizations (or a Member in 
conjunction with a regional organization ) must submit an official letter indicating the purpose and 
expected outcome  of the workshop , their expected contribution , as well as  the proposed dates  and 
venue . This formal request should be addressed to the Director of the Institute for Training and 
Technical Co -operation (ITTC)  and sent by fax to: +41 22 739 57 64.  
30.  Programmes, prerequisites and selection criteria will be defined for each requested activity.  
31.  Based on a request received, a Regional SPS Workshop for Latin America, with a focus on 
transparency and the role of National Notification Authorities will be organized in 20 20. This 
 
8 While every effort will be made  to accommodate the requests of regional organizations , the Secretariat 
cannot guarantee that it will have the necessary resources to undertake  all regional workshops  requested during 
the year.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  workshop will be co-organized with t he Inter -American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture . 
Specific information and instructions for this regional SPS workshop can be found in Annex IV.9 
32.  Other regional SPS workshops  that are requested during the year, will be made available on the 
WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta . 
4.3  Selection Process  
33.  In general, for regional SPS workshops that are requested, t he WTO Secretariat will carr y out 
a selection process aimed at better utilizing the resources available by ensuring that only qualified 
and suitable candidates participate in the regional workshops. The Secretariat will consider 
applications from all eligible Members and Observers su bject to the receipt of the candidacy within 
the deadline and to the candidate meeting the pre -requisites. The Secretariat will endeavour to 
ensure an overall balance regarding participants' specializations, countries of origin and gender.  
34.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of thirty participants for each Regional SPS Workshop. 
The target audience for these workshops are government officials : 
a. holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area, i.e. SPS notification authority or enquiry 
point; Codex, IPPC or  OIE contact points; officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of 
coordinating SPS matters and international trade; and 
b. possessing a proven intermediate level of understanding of the principles and structure of 
the WTO, and of the principles and provisi ons of the SPS Agreement.  
35.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for participation in the 
regional workshop must consult the instructions provided in Annex IV, and complete and submit the 
online application form available at:  https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2020 -wto-
sps-technical -assistance -application -form/ . 
 
36.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and  Observers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. mission in 
Geneva) of t he proposed selection of candidates from their government before the final selection.  
37.  Selected participants for the Regional SPS Workshop for Latin America will receive an economy -
class rou nd-trip air -ticket (excursion fare, if applicable), full board services and facilities at the hotel 
where the activity is held (bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and ground transport airport -hotel-airport). 
Other administrative arrangements will be communicate d directly to the selected participants in 
advance of each activity.  
38.  Other information and instructions on applying for regional SPS workshops that are requested 
during the year will be made available on the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta . 
4.4  Pre-requisites for Participation  
39.  Preference will be given to those candidates that have succe ssfully completed the WTO SPS 
E-Learning Course by the time  they submit their application. All participants are expected to have 
completed the WTO SPS E -Learning Course be fore the start of the workshop.  See Section 1 regarding 
enrolment in the WTO SPS E-Learning Course.  
5  OTHER SPS WORKSHOPS  
40.  The WTO Secretariat will participate in other SPS techni cal assistance activities at the request 
of other organizations, where possible.  
 
9 The Regional SPS Workshop for Central and Eastern Europe, Ce ntral Asia and the Caucasus (CEECAC) 
SPS and TBT Workshop for Asia (co -organized with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia 
and the Pacific), as announced in document G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.9, was postponed from September 2019 and 
will take  place from 27 -30 April 2020 . G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  6  ADVANCED SPS COURSE AND FOLLOW -UP SESSION  
Level of this activity: 1    3 
6.1  Overview  
41.  The 20 20 Advanced SPS Course  will be held from 26 October  to 13 November  2020 in 
Geneva, Switzerland, in French . This course i s an in -depth and "hands -on" training activity on the 
SPS Agreement conceived to encourage the active involvement and leadership of participants in 
SPS-related matters, ranging from addressing national implementation problems to the identification 
of SPS -related market access difficulties and how to develop stra tegies to overcome these. 
The course also seeks to assist government officials from developing countries in enhancing their 
participation in the SPS Committee.  
42.  The course comprises a series of sessio ns and practical exercises related to the implementation 
of the SPS Agreement. The first week of the course includes sessions aimed at deepening 
participants' understanding of the SPS Agreement. In the second week, participants will attend the 
SPS Committe e meetings, with a view to learning how the Committee works in practice, so as to 
become familiar with the rules and procedures of the Committee and to participate in its discussions , 
and briefing sessions with SPS Committee delegates . In the third week, p articipants will share their 
experiences and will strengthen their knowledge  on how to improve the implementation of specific 
provisions of the SPS Agreement, including the application of concepts and principles such as risk 
analysis, harmonization, equiva lence, regionalization and transparency. Dispute settlement, 
technical assistance and cooperation, and special and differential treatment will also be addressed. 
The course is complemented by briefing sessions with SPS delegates. Former participants of the  
course, attending the SPS Committee, will also share their experiences with current participants in 
relation to the development and implementation of their own action plans. A number of external 
experts, including from Codex, IPPC and OIE, will participat e in parts of the course.  
43.  Each participant will be required to elaborate an action plan with the assistance of coaches. 
This plan should address one or two specific implementation and/or market access challenges 
encountered in their countries. During the c ourse, participants will regularly meet with their coaches 
to discuss and develop their action plan. On return to their countries, participants will be required 
to implement their action plans and submit periodic reports on their progress . 
44.  A follow -up sess ion will be organized in June /July 2021, where participants to the Advanced 
SPS Course will report on the implementation of their action plans.  
45.  At the time of their application  for this course,  candidates will be asked to provide preliminary 
ideas for  an action plan which  they will further develop  during the course.  
6.2  Selection Process  
46.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of twenty -five participants for the Advanced SPS  Course. 
The target audience for this course are government officials, in particular those:  
a. holding direct responsibilities in SPS areas, e.g. , specialists on food safety, animal health, 
plant protection or officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of co ordinating SPS  matters 
and international trade;  
b. possessing a proven advanced level of understanding of the provisions and structure of 
the WTO, and the principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement , and willing to take 
initiative and leadership ; and   
c. fluent in oral and written French . 
47.  Eligible candidates must be  government officials at the time of applying for the course, during 
the course, and envisaged to continue as such during the 9 -month period following the course and 
the follow -up session which will  be held in June/July of the following year. Candidates must be in a 
position to implement their action plans in their country during the 9-month period  following the 
course . G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  48.  Candidates will be selected using criteria such as the fulfilment of prerequisite s, prior selection 
of other candidates from the Member , as well as balance among the selected candidates in terms of  
region , gender, years of  experience and specialization.  
49.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for the Advanc ed SPS 
Course must consult the instructions provided in Annex V,  and complete and submit the online 
application form available at: https://wo rldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2020 -wto-sps-
technical -assistance -application -form/ . 
50.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and Observers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. , mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidates from their government before the final selection.  
51.  Selected participants will receive an economy -class round -trip air -ticket (excursion fare, if 
applicable), accommodation, daily subsistence allowance for the duration of the course and terminal 
expenses at the applicable WTO rat e. These will be provided to the participant by the WTO during 
the activity. Other administrative arrangements will be communicated directly to the selected 
participants in advance of the course.  
6.3  Pre-requisites for Participation  
52.  There are two pre-requisites for participation in the Advanced SPS Course:  
a. All candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO SPS E-Learning Course 
by the time of their application. Applications from candidates who have not successfully 
completed the SPS E-Learning Course will not be considered. See Section 1  regarding 
enrolment in the E -Learning Course.  
b. Before the start of the course, the selected candidates will receive a questionnaire to 
assess the level of implementation of the SPS Agreement in their countries. Completion 
and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is compulsory  for participation in 
the course.   
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNI CAL ASSISTANCE ACTIV ITIES IN 20 20 – CHRONOLOGICAL TAB LE 
Activity  Pre-requisites  
January  
February  
March  
April  
May 
June  
July 
August  
September  
October  
November  
December  
E-Learning Course on 
SPS 
(English, French and 
Spanish)  WTO certification only for 
registered Government 
officials from WTO Members 
and Observers  Courses available throughout the year  
 
2020 Advanced SPS 
Course  
(in French ) SPS E -Learning Course  
 
Completion and submission of 
pre-course questionnaire   
Applications accepted until  
2 June  Results of 
selection  Submission 
of response  
to the 
questionnaire  Course 
from 
26 Oct. - 
13 Nov.   
Thematic SPS 
Workshop  on Risk 
Assessment, Risk 
Management and Risk 
Communication  
(English, French and 
Spanish)  Only for government officials 
holding direct responsibilities 
in the SPS area   
 Applications accepted until  
1 April  Results of 
selection  Workshop  
22-23 June   
Regional SPS 
Workshop for Latin 
America with a focus 
on transparency and 
the role of National 
Notification 
Authorities  SPS E -Learning Course*  Applications accepted until  
2 June   Results of 
selection   Workshop  
17-19 
November   
 Although E -Learning courses are available throughout the year, the completion of each course must take place within t wo months from the start date. 
* Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully completed the identified WTO E -Learning Course by the time of their application.  
 All participants are expected to have completed the E -Learning Course before the start of the work shop. Further information can be found in Section 1 of this document.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  ANNEX II  
PROGRESSIVE LEARNING  STRATEGY1 
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNIC AL ASSISTANCE (TA) ACTIVITIES  
1.  In order to respond to the need for greater coherence and complementarity in WTO capacity -
building, the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) has developed a progressive 
strategy to promote higher levels of learning and encoura ge the development of participants ' 
autonomy . This is  with a view to build and sustain the long -lasting human and institutional capacity 
of beneficiary countries  to participate mo re effectively in the rules -based multilateral tra ding system.  
2.  In this regard, two broad categories of participants in WTO capacity -building have been 
identified:  
a. "Generalists"  are government officials who will need a broad knowledge of the WTO to 
conduct th eir work, such as capital -based officials dealing with WTO issues or delegates 
posted to Geneva missions with general responsibility for WTO affairs;  
b. "Specialists"  are government officials who will require in -depth knowledge in a specific 
area, such as off icials working on a specific issue in a particular Ministry in their capital 
(for example, those who are dealing with SPS issues).  
3.  Following this strategy, each SPS -specific technical assistance activity has been categorized 
based on a scale of three train ing levels, ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory 
activities) to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in -depth training activities).  
Progressive Learning Strategy  
Level  SPS-specific TA Activity  
1 and 2  E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement2 
2 National SPS Seminars3 
2 and 3  Thematic SPS Workshop, in Geneva  
2 and 3  Regional SPS Workshops4 
3 Advanced SPS Course, in Geneva  
 
 
 
1 Additional information on the WTO's progressive learning strategy (PLS) is available in JOB/TC/ 7. 
2 While an introduction to the SPS Agreement is included in the Level 1 E-Learning  course "Introduction 
to the WTO", the E -Learning "Course  on the SPS Agre ement " is the most introductory -level training available 
specifically on the SPS Agreement.  
3 National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introductory) or higher (in -depth, advance training) 
level, depending on the training ne eds identified by the requesting Member, and the level of knowledge and 
experience of the participants. The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content of these seminars 
according to each specific request and through consultations with the ben eficiary Member during the pre paration 
phase of the seminar.  
4 The training provided in regional SPS workshops will, in general, be more advanced than the training 
given in national SPS seminars, as it will also focus on regional challeng es and coordinatio n matters. 
In determining the level of each regional workshop, the Secretariat will take into account the level of 
implementation of the SPS Agreement by the participating countries (for instance, through participation in the 
SPS Committee, number of notif ications, etc.), as well as the overall level amongst the selected candidates.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  ANNEX III  
THEMATIC SPS WORKSHO P IN 20 20 
Title of the 
activity  Thematic SPS Workshop on Risk Assessment, Risk Management 
and Risk Communication  
Dates  22 to 23 June 2020 
Venue  Geneva, Switzerland  
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers  WTO least-developed and developing country Members and Observ ers 
Pre-requisites for 
funding  Only for government officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area , 
or responsible for participation in and implementation of the SPS 
Agreement . 
Preference will be given to applications from least -developed countries 
(LDCs), and from developing country Members and Observers that have 
not been sponsored to participate in a thematic workshop on the SPS 
Agreement in the recent past. No more than one participant from each 
country will be selected.  
Fluent in either English, French or Spanish.  
Application  Candidates must fill -in and submit the online application form which is 
available at:  
 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2020 -wto-sps-technical -
assistance -application -form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the  online application form by 
1 April 2020. 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after  the deadline will not be considered.  
Results of the 
selection  Only selected candidates w ill be informed about the results of the selection 
during May 2020. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates.  
For administrative purposes, s elected candidates will be required to 
immediately provide their passport information, including number, place 
and date of issue, and date of expiry.  
 
 G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
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  ANNEX IV 
REGIONAL SPS WORKSHO P IN 20 20 
Title of the 
activity  Regional SPS Workshop for Latin America, with a focus on 
transparency and the role of National Notification Authorities (co -
organized with the Inter -American Institute for Cooperation on 
Agriculture)  
Dates  Week of 16 November 2020  
Venue  Santiago, Chile  
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers  Argentina; Bolivia; Brazil ; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Ecuador; 
El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; 
Paraguay; Peru; Uruguay; Dominican Republic.  
Pre-requisites  Only for government officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area . 
Preference will be given to candidates  with direct responsibilities in the 
implementation of the transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement or in 
coordination among SPS agencies at the national level, including SPS 
national enquiry points or national no tification authorities.  
Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully 
completed the WTO SPS E -Learning Course by the time of their application. 
All participants are expected to have completed the SPS E -Learning Course 
before the start of the workshop. The E -Learning Course is available at: 
https://wtolearning.csod.com . 
Fluency  in Spanish . 
Application  Candidates must fill -in and submit the online application form which is 
available at:  
 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2020 -wto-sps-technical -
assistance -application -form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the o nline application form by  
2 June 2020 . 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered.  
Results of the 
selection  Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
by September  2020. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates.  
For administrative purposes, selected candidates will be required to 
immediately provide their passport information, including number, place 
and date of issue, and date of expiry.  
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10  
 
- 12 - 
 
  ANNEX V 
2020 ADVANCED SPS COURSE  
Title of the 
activity  2020 Advanced SPS Course (in French ) 
Dates  26 October to 13 November 20 20 
Venue  Geneva, Switzerland  
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers  WTO least -developed and developing country Members and Observers  
Pre-requisites  Successful completion of the WTO E -Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement.  
Candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO     SPS E -
Learning Course by the time of their application. Applications from 
candidates who have not successfully completed the SPS E -Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. The E -Learnin g 
Course is available at: https://wtolearning.csod.com . 
Completion and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is 
compulsory for participation in the course.  
Short -listed candidates may be required to submit a letter of motivation.  
Fluent in oral and written French . 
Application  Candidates must fill -in and submit the online application form which is 
available at:  
 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2020 -wto-sps-technical -
assistance -application -form/  
 
At the time of their application, candidates will also be asked to provide 
preliminary ideas for an action plan which they will undertake during the 
course, aimed at addressing an implementation and/or market a ccess 
challenge that they have identified in their country.  
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form by 
2 June 20 20. 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered.  
Results of the 
selection  Only selected  candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
by August 20 20. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates . 
For administrative purposes, s elected candidates will be required to 
immediately provide their passport information, including number, place 
and date of issue, and date of expiry.  
 
__________